Kibworth Beauchamp Kibworth Harcourt Smeeton Westerby

STAINED GLASS descriptions in St Wilfrid's Church starting with the north window to the right of the north porch (Harcourt side), proceed clockwise around the church : each description gives subject, inscription, date and artist. Photographs will be added as obtained, although one photo of the stained glass depicting Walter de Merton in the bell tower, that is only visible inside the bell tower, is shown (see 13 below).

1. North Aisle: The Raising of Lazarus (John 11). Scrolls above - I am the resurrection and the life. John 11:25; inscribed below: He cried with a loud voice / Lazarus come forth / & he that was dead came forth (John 11: 43-44). Mary and Martha flank Jesus and Lazarus; Peter and James behind Mary. Metal plate below: To the memory of Richard Buckby Humfrey of Stoke Albany in the County of Northampton, Esquire, who died 15th Sep 1870 and of Marian Matilda his wife who died 27 July 1868. They are buried beneath a stone in the vestry of this church. By William Holland & Son of Warwick.

2. Next to East: The Raising of the Widow of Nain's Son (Luke 7:11-17). Scrolls above - Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). Lower: Faith holding cross; St Wilfrid; Hope, holding anchor (Hebrews 6:19) commemorates Charlotte Rebecca Burgoyne Humfrey (d 1864) widow of John Humfrey of Kibworth Hall. Also by William Holland & Son of Warwick..

3. Over the Lady Chapel altar: The Good Shepherd (John 10:14). Jesus carrying a lamb (Luke 15:4-6). Symbols illustrating I am sayings: The Bread of Life (John 6:35), the True Vine (John 15:1), The Alpha and the Omega (Revelation1:8); the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys (Canticum 2:1). Commemorates John Humfrey (1857), mentioned above; their grave is behind this window. Glass donated by James T. Lyon, made by James Powell & sons of London.

4. Chancel, north of the High Altar: The Empty Tomb (Mark 16: 1-6). Angel addresses Mary Magdalen, Mary the mother of James and Salome : He is not here. He is risen. Commemorates Dr Edgar Vaughan Phillips and Mary Louisa his wife + 1942. Made in 1942 by Charles E Moore of London.

5. Over the High Altar: The Crucifixion and Surrounding Events. Top: Lamb of God Censed by Angels (Revelation 7 : 17 and 8: 3-4). Emblems of the Passion on shields held by angels (all mentioned in John 19). Sacred monograms IHS and XP, Greek initials of Jesus Christ. Main five lights: (i) resurrection with guards looking the other way (ii) Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalen with her alabaster jar (John 19 :25), standing beside (iii) our Lord on the cross, with a skull at the foot symbolising the place name Golgotha (John 19 :17) and his victory over death (1Cor 15: 54-57); our lady and St John the Evangelist stand by the cross (John 19; 25-27) & further back (iv) St Joseph of Arimathea with sprouting staff and spice jar (John 19: 38-42) & the centurion who said ‘Truly this Man was the son of God’ (Mark 15:39). (v) Ascension (Luke 24: 50-53 & Acts 1:9-14). Lower panels: (a) Palm Sunday (Luke 19: 34-44), (b) Gethsemane (Luke 22:42), (c) Jesus meets his mother on his way to crucifixion (Luke 23:27-31), (d) Mary Magdalen in the Easter garden (John 20: 14-17) & (e) Low Sunday- Thomas thrusts his hand into Jesus’ side (John 20: 24-29). Commemorates William Morpott Marriott died 1865 by Heaton, Butler and Bayne of London 1869.

7. Low side window: The Ten Lepers Luke 17: 12-19. This small window in the chancel behind the choir pews perpetuates the fallacy that this low window was for lepers. 1869 by William Holland and Son. However, it is the case that some low side windows in churches (e.g. St Mary’s Church, Grendon, Northamptonshire) were called hagioscopes or squint windows and many were set at a slant so lepers or people with infectious disease could view the altar from outside the church.

8. South aisle, east window: The Four Evangelists. Our Lord carrying his cross, witnessed by saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. John holds a cup from which a serpent crawls, illustrating the story in the acts of John, where the Emperor Domitian fails to poison him. Note the chalice and paten in one of the top roundels; Christ’s cross is the source of our ministry of word and sacrament. Erected by Thomas Crick of Great Glen in memory of his wife and son 1874. By Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

9. Along the south wall: The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter Mark 5: 22-43. Top scrolls continue into the window: GLORY TO GOD/PEACE ON EARTH/GOOD WILL TO MEN (Luke 2:14). James, Peter and John to the left, Jesus and girl at centre and her parents to the right. ‘Damsel, I say unto thee arise’ (Mark 5: 41). Given by John Marriott 1873 in memory of members of his family. By Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

10. To west: The Wedding of Cana John 2: 1-11. Groom, bride, mother and two servants with the jars on the left; Jesus and Mary with the governor of the feast behind, in the centre; three disciples and another man to the right. Inscription: Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb (Revelation 19:9). Commemorates 53 years marriage of John (died1880) and Georgiana (died1884) Marriott. By Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

11. Beside south (Beauchamp side) porch: Our Lord’s Baptism John 1: 29-34. John the Baptist holds the cross banner (Behold the Lamb of God) and a shell. Dove over Jesus. Attendant angels to right (Mark1: 13). Commemorates William (died 1899) and Harriet (died 1884) Grant. Note the wheatsheaf on the left-hand border: this is the signature of Charles Eamer Kempe, a kemp being a wheatsheaf in heraldry.

12. West end: Healing the Sick. Mark 1: 32-34 (And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased). Commemorates Thomas Macauley, surgeon (died 1897) and his wife (died 1906). Coat of arms below.

13. Bell tower, west window: St Wilfrid & Walter de Merton, illustrating the church’s dedication and patron (Merton College, Oxford). Commemorates William and Mary Barnes and their children; see brass plate by the tower arch. 1883, made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

14. The small windows over the chancel arch have stained glass, that on the right inscribed with the HIS monogram. The three-light clerestory window, south of this arch, has coloured glass edging.